Puppis
Poop Deck (Puppis)
Puppis, the Stern (of a ship), was once part of the massive ancient constellation Argo Navis before being divided into three parts. Lying in the rich star fields of the winter Milky Way, Puppis contains many spectacular open star clusters. It is the largest of the three Argo Navis fragments and offers excellent deep-sky observing.
📜 Mythology
Puppis represents the stern (back section) of the ship Argo, which carried Jason and the Argonauts on their quest for the Golden Fleece. The ship was built by Argus with the help of the goddess Athena, who fitted a prophetic timber from the sacred oak at Dodona into its prow. The massive constellation Argo Navis was divided into Puppis (Stern), Vela (Sails), and Carina (Keel) by Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille in the 18th century, but the original Greek letter designations were preserved, which is why Puppis's brightest star is Zeta, not Alpha.
💡 Facts
- ✦Puppis has no Alpha or Beta star - these designations went to Carina when Argo Navis was divided
- ✦M46, M47, and M93 are all excellent open clusters in Puppis visible in binoculars
- ✦NGC 2477 is one of the richest open clusters in the sky, containing several thousand stars